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** November 2022 Newsletter
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FOR OVER 110 YEARS, ADVANCING THE RIGHTS AND LIVES OF REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS
TIME TO SAY THANK YOU!
The Hassan family resettled by USCRI Cleveland getting ready to celebrate their second Thanksgiving in the U.S.

We all know the story of how Thanksgiving Day became a tradition. We know this holiday has been traced back to the Pilgrims and the Puritans. But what we have overlooked in recent years is how this tradition has evolved and how it has now incorporated traditional dishes from other cultures and countries. At times, we have taken for granted how the concept of being thankful, regardless of our differences, has come to unite us during the holiday season.

This year, we would like to take this opportunity to both celebrate Thanksgiving and commemorate the International Day of Tolerance as we reflect on how diversity has made our country stronger and our traditions even more special and inclusive.

For Giving Tuesday this year, we are encouraging our supporters to contribute to our work, which allows us to serve our clients across the country as well as in our international offices in El Salvador, Mexico, and Honduras.

We cannot thank you enough for your contributions, for your time and dedication to our mission. We thank you for believing in our vision and the dreams of thousands of refugees and immigrants we were able to assist in the last 12 months.

We wish you a very joyful holiday season!

Sincerely,

Kevin Sturtevant, CFRE
VP for Strategic Development
USCRI
OUR WAY OF SAYING THANK YOU
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) is participating in Giving Tuesday this year. On past occasions, we have been fortunate to receive support for our different programs to assist newcomers.

This time, we want to take the opportunity to thank you for your generosity. As part of this initiative, everyone who donates during Giving Tuesday will be automatically entered into our contest to win ten handmade bracelets. You just need to make sure you add your contact information, including your mailing address, to get your special gift in time for the holidays.

To donate, please click here ([link removed]) or use the button below.
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INTERNATIONAL DAY OF TOLERANCE
In 1996, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming November 16 as International Day for Tolerance ([link removed]) . This followed the adoption of a Declaration of Principles on Tolerance by UNESCO's Member States on November 16, 1995.

The Declaration affirms that tolerance is neither indulgence nor indifference and adds that "tolerance is harmony in difference." What better opportunity to celebrate our diverse backgrounds, cultures, religions, and expressions on International Day of Tolerance than by recognizing and respecting our differences?

We encourage you to take this opportunity to uplift the lives and legacies of the many refugees and immigrants that have made our communities more diverse, vibrant, and rich.
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING!
On October 2022, our USCRI Des Moines and North Carolina Field Offices had the privilege of hosting two different events, Welcoming Iowa 2022 and Celebrating 15 Years of Welcome.

We cannot thank our attendees, sponsors, and donors enough for their support during these special occasions.

The funds gathered will be used to serve our clients with urgent needs like housing, health care, clothing, and employment.

USCRI CEO and President Eskinder Negash attended our event in North Carolina, where he had the opportunity to talk about the trajectory of the office and the remarkable resettlement work done.

In Des Moines, former Iowa First Lady Christine Bell Vilsack delivered an uplifting message about the lives of newcomers in the state and how Iowans have come together during difficult times to help their new neighbors.

We appreciate the support from the communities in North Carolina and Iowa and hope to continue assisting newcomers from all around the world.

OUR LATEST
POLICY & ADVOCACY REPORT
The brief of our latest Policy & Advocacy Report, written by Policy Analyst Aaron Escajeda, discusses the historical context of pushbacks and offshoring in the United States and how legally shirking international responsibilities of non-refoulement have led to deterrent land-based policies, such as the Migrant Protection Protocols and Title 42.

To read more, please visit our website ([link removed]) or use the QR code below.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR...
"I'm grateful to my family and friends," Matt Murphy, Program Assistant with Resettlement and Placement.

"I am grateful for health and happiness," Taylor McNaboe, International Expansion and Operations Program Officer.

"I'm grateful that I found a new apartment - after six months of searching - that is close to the Asylum Office and big enough for me to start hosting movie nights and dinners!" Rebecca Watson, Coordinator of Pro Bono Afghan Legal Services (PALS).

"I'm grateful and excited to be able to access and afford all the ingredients I need to cook my favorite dishes for my family at Thanksgiving," Jane Buchholz, NRPP Program Officer. "It was hard during COVID. It was impossible to source ingredients to make things I liked and even if I could get them everyone was apart."

"I am grateful for my family and friends who have made my life worth living. I treasure each moment I share with them and look forward to many more adventures," Emmanuel Montesa, Program Manager of Children's Services.

"This year I am grateful for my family, my car (in August when I received my job offer from USCRI I was able to start financing my first car and it has allowed me a lot of freedom and independence), and my pets," Charlotte Donnelly, West Coast Development Officer.

"I am grateful for birthdays, which are indicators that I made it one more year. Having a birthday offers me the welcome reminder that it is nothing short of a total miracle to be alive. Happy Birthday to me in February," Kurt Nance, HR Specialist.

"I'm grateful for having the opportunity to welcome and serve over 6500 refugees for the last 15+ years," Tawfik Alazem, USCRI Detroit Field Office Director. "I'm grateful and thankful for my family and colleagues for giving me the needed support to get through all these years."

"I am consistently thankful that my job each day is in support of a wonderful team, who consistently prove to me the brilliance and resilience of the human spirit," Darren Hamm, USCRI Cleveland Field Office Director.

"I’m grateful for cooler weather and fresh air, the ability to travel to see family, my husband (of one month!), and our cats, Teddy and Muna, who bring me joy every day," Cecily Cook, USCRI Texas Refugee Health Service Program Manager.

"I am grateful for the love and support of family and friends and health - two things that I've really come to cherish this last year," Simran Grewal, Director of Refugee Health Services.

"This year I continue to be grateful for connection and reconnection after the pandemic created necessary separation," Chelsey Butchereit, Missouri State Refugee Health Coordinator. "It’s been a year of wonderful visits with family and friends, enjoying in-person community events, and reconnecting with colleagues across Missouri whose partnership on behalf of the clients we collectively serve I greatly appreciate."

"I am grateful for my health; for being a part of a hard-working field office team that is like a second family to me; and for living and working in a generous, caring, welcoming, and supportive community," Matt Thompson, USCRI Vermont Program Manager of Resettlement Services.

"I'm thankful for the passionate team of social workers and humanitarian advocates that I have the privilege of working with," Graham Ball, USCRI Cleveland Development Associate. "I am thankful for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the newest members of my community. And I am thankful for my friends and family who bring joy into my life."
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USCRI, founded in 1911, is a non-governmental, not-for-profit international organization committed to working on behalf of refugees and immigrants and their transition to a dignified life.

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Copyright ©2022 U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. All rights reserved.

U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants
2231 Crystal Drive, Suite 350, Arlington, VA 22202
(703) 310-1130
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U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants . 2231 Crystal Drive, Suite 350 . Arlington, VA 22202 . USA